Movie reviews

PLANETA SINGLI 2 (PLANET SINGLE 2)

Watchable. Unlike "Juliusz" no sexism. And more realistic than "Planeta Singli' ("Planet Single") one. It masterfully captures the social changes. Silver foxes - at least in their own eyes - hunt for women online. While they look for younger ones, older women have flings with younger men. Changing women's expectations to men feature heavily. One of male protagonists got stuck in the 80s - he's got "Rambo" posters on the wall and starts working out which is presented to the rhythm of Bonnie Tyler's "I need a hero (...) He's gotta be strong". Technology changes the dating scene which is exemplified by the VR date sequence. Men are quite life-like. Kids watch porn. Even the current political climate has made it into the romantic comedy: "Tv Info twierdzi, że już dwie lewicowe organizacje terrorystyczne przyznały się do próby zorganizowania tego porwania". ("Tv Info maintains that two leftist terrorist organisations have already confessed to the attempt of organising this hijack.") The rom-com layer is quite Christmas-style. I laughed just a few times but was smiling throughout. The scene of getting into a taxi is comical within the movie and is a clear reference to the "Taxi" cinematic series. The attempt of stopping a plane is funny too. Horror-style music sounds when the rasta woman's 5 kids appear. Still the film is a bit too sad and I don't like such insertions popular in Polish rom-coms. The main message of the film is that love defies algorithms. Make-up is very good for the first half of the movie when even lipstick perfectly matches women's tops. The film ends with a trailer of "Planeta Singli 3" ("Planet Single 3") - shot simultaneously with part 2 and to be relased for Valentine's Day - so don't leave the cinema till Maciej Stuhr tells you to. The only special attraction in the credits is: "Podczas realizacji filmu wszystkie zwierzęta świetnie się bawiły. Naszym kosztem." (All animals had great fun in the making of this movie. At our expense.")

THE NUTCRACKER AND THE FOUR REALMS 2D VS. 3D

Watchable. Drowsy music by James Newton Howard with elements of Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker" is one of the elements that ruin the movie. Original Tchaikovsky would sound much more Disneyesque. Utterly American Sugar Plum's costume, Russian harlequins and tin soldiers. The castle resembles the Kremlin... surrounded by waterfalls. Most of scenography and costumes look as amateurish as a school theatre. A great disappointment. Only the mouse is cute. Amazing 3D though.

BAD TIMES AT THE EL ROYALE

Watchable. Writer and director Drew Goddard had a brilliant idea of creating the movie like a puzzle in which each card has a reverse unlike its face value. The pattern of long, ordinary conversations each ending in a startling act of violence is good to a point. They're winding and mundane on the verge of being boring. Yet, what is revealed every time the card is turned, guarantees re-shuffling of the whole set. Great singing by Cynthia Erivo.

THE OLD MAN & THE GUN

Watchable. The elderly gentleman robbing banks is so charming you don't want him caught. Unfortunately the movie is so slow-paced it's probably best suited for people his age. Ironic humour brings on a smile but not laughter and is all grounded in references to the guy's old age. Based on a "New Yorker" article. 1981, when it's set, was long before CCTV in banks. Nowadays a story like that would be unconceivable.